Agri-PulseThe number of U.S. households where people don't get enough to eat dropped significantly last year, but the level of food insecurity still remains higher than before the 2008 recession, according to a Agriculture Department report.
The latest edition of the food insecurity report from USDA's Economic Research Service concludes that 12.7 percent of U.S. households — about 15.8 million — experienced food insecurity at some point in 2015, down from 14 percent in 2014 and an even steeper drop from a high of 14.9 percent in 2011.READ MORE

Refrigerated & Frozen FoodsMore grocery shoppers are seeking out and trying "better-for-you" foods, especially dairy- and meat-free alternatives, according to a new national health food study by Earth Balance. The study polled 2,000 consumers to determine which new foods they are trying, what their top motivators are and trends in healthy eating.READ MORE

PoliticoDonald Trump and Hillary Clinton shared a stage for the first time Sept. 7 — and neither appeared ready for the brightest lights of 2016 as they flashed the very liabilities that make their backers uneasy.
Clinton wobbled on style. Trump stumbled on substance.
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Los Angeles Times In this election season of discontent, a lot of voters are having trouble committing.
Around 1 in 5 voters nationwide report themselves as undecided or flirting with third-party candidates, with the exact share depending on the poll and how the question is asked. READ MORE

Global Meat NewsThe price of chicken is China is expected to soar this year and next as the country's ban on U.S. breeding birds sees imports fall dramatically, according to a Chinese protein analyst.
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Agri-View Organic food processors and producers can apply for reimbursement of costs related to organic certification through the Agriculture Department's National Organic Program. Farms and businesses that produce, process or package certified-organic agricultural products are eligible to be reimbursed for 75 percent of certification-related costs — up to $750 per category of certification — for expenses paid from Oct. 1, 2015, through Sept. 30, 2016.READ MORE

Food Safety News
New victims in the Hawaii hepatitis A outbreak linked to frozen, imported scallops continue to be identified, with the case count hitting 252.
More than a fourth of those people, 66, have had symptoms so severe that they required hospitalization, according to an update from the Hawaii Department of Health.
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Food Dive The global savory ingredients market is on track to hit $12.75 billion by 2024, according to a report from Grand View Research, Inc.
Today's consumers have higher disposable incomes, which has driven them toward purchases of time-saving food products.READ MORE

World PoultryU.S. fast food giant McDonalds has stopped using chicken fed with antibiotics in the U.S., but has stated that they can't avoid buying chicken with antibiotics in China. Earlier this year, the company released a statement promising to complete "a major commitment to only serve chicken not treated with antibiotics important to human medicine nearly a year ahead of schedule."
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Food Business NewsHealth and wellness is a trend Pinnacle Foods Inc. has identified as a key to its future growth. With a rejuvenated Birds Eye brand and such recently acquired businesses as Gardein and Boulder Brands, the company is focused on expanding its position in the market for better-for-you foods.READ MORE